The plain, grey construction walls that have surrounded the Universe of Energy at Epcot since it closed last August were replaced overnight with new, colorful walls now hyping guests for “A Whole New Galaxy” that is coming to Epcot in 2021…

The new walls feature Spaceship Earth floating in space, something that was commonly represented in pre-opening materials for the park in 1982 but not often seen in common times.

The signs on the walls are a completely new design from anything we have seen before, custom made for this project (but perhaps more of what we’ll see moving forward as Epcot embarks on its massive reimagining). The signs feature the old EPCOT Center logo which has been on a bit of a comeback the last few years. Hopefully this means it is officially back as part of the massive park makeover project.

These walls are for the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster attraction coming to the park in 2021. We now know this ride won’t open anytime before 2021 since the construction signs prominently feature a “21” in the corner.

And so begins our long, 3-year-wait for this ride to open. I wish we had some sort of stone that could make time move faster…

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Jose Castillo

I grew up in South Florida, so Disney World was just a few hours away and I would often visit with my family. In 2008, I joined the WDW News Today family as a Graphic Designer and helped developer the website into what it is. Today, I happily live in Orlando with my fiancé and visit Disney World almost daily. I'm so happy to be able to be part of such a magical family and be able to bring you the latest Disney news. If you'd like to contact me, please email me at [email protected]

Great update, but lets be honest. A 3 year wait for a ONE track short ride, the first one that wasn’t an overlay in Epcot in 20 years is an embarrassment. Disney needs a new park, and at least another 10-20 attractions for the number of increased rooms and cramming of the parks with sales points, and some of these shouldn’t be just movie/franchise promotions like this one. Not enough to do for entry price for a good experience. Orlando Ignored by Disney Executives for anything but a spot to sell dummies who pay to enter WDW merchandise.

Agreed! Hopefully further details emerge of potentially new rides and experiences for EPCOT in the coming months. The artist rendition of Future World looks very bold but will we see the experiences to go along with it?

But you are perhaps right – is it time for Disney to consider a 5th gate? Perhaps they are. Perhaps not. I for one would like to see the current Parks continue to grow in rides and experiences and not new shops and dessert parties before a 5th gate is added. It would be nice to an additional land or two added to Animal Kingdom (Zootopia to replace Rafiki’s Planet Watch) and Move A Bugs Land from CA to Animal Kingdom.

The only additions I believe we will see are sales points. This ride is a ‘minimum needed’ ride to get people in a gift shop, and why can other theme park operators (Comcast) build an entire theme park in the same time it takes Disney to redo one? And then when it opens, it’s down or understaffed? The ride looks cool. But, is so past due and looks like it’s capacity will be very low. Long waits ahead. And likely only available to those staying ON Disney property for a while.

WDW has been overdue for AT LEAST one new park for AT LEAST a decade… And not because I think there aren’t enough new rides or because I think some of the park’s environments have become stale, but rather for the enormous crowds that both choke the parks (especially MK) and make the lines ridiculously long for everything and anything! Having to schedule and plan your trip down to when you’re gonna want to eat is a direct consequence of said PEOPLE BOMB… It makes you wonder “why am I spending 10K+ on a vacation” when clearly demand has far exceeded the supply taking away many of the spontaneous moments that used to be a WDW vacation… Build more parks even if only to thin the enormous herds that basically require fast passes and a social secretary to try and get more than 5 or 6 rides in in a day at the park.

Very true comment that I wish I didn’t agree with. Without the Drinking Festivals, Epcot really has little added. The Frozen overlay to Maelstrom was because Elsa toys sell better than the Norwegian trinkets. They should have had rides in the works from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 9 years ago completing in stages. Their work now in improving a decaying theme park is like emptying the ocean of problems with a bucket.

Yea. I’m grateful they’re adding anything. But that park is barely worth going to for the last decade or so, unless with my friends to get drunk in the world showcase, or Illumniations (which last, and best night show, not about selling something, but has real meaning).

I’m lost why this is a 3 year build time. Entire cities are built in less. I’m thinking they want to hype that they’re actually adding something.

Airlines do more to satisfy customers now. That is saying something. We remain huge fans of the parks (or the concept of them), despite their neglect. It’s clear they went the budget route on this ride, and it’s there to ‘build excitement over the next few years while it’s built’…and they can make more movies off of it. And too little, too late to be honest. I can understand why people complain about WDW.

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